Xi Jinping’s father the subject of new historical drama on state television

Xi Jinping’s father the subject of new historical drama on state television

A historical drama about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s late father, Xi Zhongxun, will be shown on state television from Tuesday – the first time his story has been dramatised for TV. The first episode of Time in the Northwest will make its debut during prime time on CCTV’s main channel, according to a trailer aired … Read more

Chinese commentator Hu Xijin returns to social media after more than 3 months of silence

Chinese commentator Hu Xijin returns to social media after more than 3 months of silence

Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of state-owned newspaper Global Times, is back on Chinese social media after more than three months of silence. Hu reappeared on microblogging platform Weibo with a post on Thursday evening that expressed personal delight at a new bridge over the Chaobai River connecting the outskirts of Beijing with neighbouring Hebei province. … Read more

China Geological Survey’s former head Zhong Ziran charged with state secrets leak, bribery

China Geological Survey’s former head Zhong Ziran charged with state secrets leak, bribery

The former head of China Geological Survey has been charged with bribe-taking and leaking state secrets by the country’s highest prosecutorial agency. Zhong Ziran, 62, is accused of using his senior positions at the natural resources ministry as well as its affiliated China Geological Survey to take a “particularly big” amount of bribes, the Supreme … Read more

Chinese publisher who gave world The Three-Body Problem under corruption cloud

Chinese publisher who gave world The Three-Body Problem under corruption cloud

A Chinese publisher best known for discovering The Three-Body Problem, the award-winning sci-fi novel recently adapted into a hit Netflix series, is under investigation for corruption. Yao Haijun, deputy editor-in-chief of the influential magazine Science Fiction World, is accused of “severe violations of Communist Party discipline and law”, authorities in Sichuan province said, using the … Read more

China to boost talent pool in science and technology with ‘world-class’ doctoral training

China to boost talent pool in science and technology with ‘world-class’ doctoral training

Beijing is moving to boost the country’s talent ranks in the fields of science and technology by creating more doctoral programmes in key areas such as medicine, engineering and emerging fields. The State Council – China’s cabinet – and the Communist Party’s Central Committee issued guidelines on Sunday calling on education authorities and universities to … Read more

Why did China’s police chief make a rare foray into economic policy?

Why did China’s police chief make a rare foray into economic policy?

China’s top police officer has made a rare comment on economic matters with a call for better risk management and stability. The state media reports of Wang Xiaohong’s comments highlighted that he was speaking in his capacity as a senior member of the Communist Party and as a state councillor, rather than as public security … Read more

Chinese President Xi visits Taiwan-facing island after PLA drills simulate blockade

Chinese President Xi visits Taiwan-facing island after PLA drills simulate blockade

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited a coastal island just across the Taiwan Strait a day after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) wrapped up massive military drills around Taiwan. Xi inspected Dongshan county in the southeastern province of Fujian on Tuesday afternoon, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The Taiwan-facing island county has served as a regular base … Read more

China’s middle class is riding a wave of optimism for now, but can it last?

China’s middle class is riding a wave of optimism for now, but can it last?

The 41-year-old had lost around 80 per cent of the 2 million yuan (US$283,000) she invested over a decade. This week she was among the hundreds of millions of Chinese rushing back to the market on a wave of optimism after the government announced new measures to revive the economy. “I think the top leadership … Read more

China’s Li Xiaopeng, son of former premier Li Peng, signals end to closely watched career

China’s Li Xiaopeng, son of former premier Li Peng, signals end to closely watched career

Li Xiaopeng, son of former Chinese premier Li Peng, has taken a semi-retirement role on the country’s top political advisory body, drawing an end to the closely watched political career of a member of one of China’s most powerful families. Li was assigned the role of deputy director of the economic affairs committee of the … Read more

Mainland China accuses Taiwanese leader William Lai of escalating hostility

Mainland China accuses Taiwanese leader William Lai of escalating hostility

Beijing has accused Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te of escalating hostility after his recent comments that the People’s Republic of China could not be the island’s motherland. Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said Lai had not only tried to deceive and intimidate the Taiwan people, harming their interests, but was … Read more